Search

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the vaginal microbial community structure in beef cattle between follicular and luteal phase. Fifteen healthy beef cattle were subjected to an estrus synchronization protocol, and vaginal samples were collected in the follicular and luteal phases. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and real-time PCR were used to determine the vaginal community structure. The results showed that the vaginal microflora of beef cattle mainly comprised of Aerococcus vaginalis, Aerococcus viridans, Haemophilus somnus, Streptococcus pluranimalium, Psychrobacter marincola, Escherichia coli and Sphingomonas roseiflava. There was no significant difference in the total number of bacteria in the vaginas of beef cattle between the follicular and luteal phase. The quantity of vaginal Streptococcus spp. in the luteal phase was significantly higher than in the follicular phase, while the number of vaginal Lactobacillus spp. in the follicular phase was significantly higher than in the luteal phase. The results indicated that there was moderate significant difference in the structure of the vaginal microbial community in beef cattle between the luteal phase and follicular phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoperiod is an important factor in stimulating broiler performance in commercial poultry practice. However, the mechanism by which photoperiod affects the per-formance of broiler chickens has not been adequately explored. The current study evaluated the effects of three different photoperiod regimes (short day (LD) D 8 h light, control (CTR) = 12.5 h light, and long day (SD) = 16 h light) on the cecal microbiota of broiler roosters by sequencing bacterial 16S rRNA genes. At the phylum level, the dominant bacteria were Firmicutes (CTR: 68%, SD: 69%, LD: 67%) and Bacteroidetes (CTR: 25%, SD: 26%, and LD: 28%). There was a greater abundance of Proteobacteria (p < 0:01) and Cyanobacteria (p < 0:05) in chickens in the LD group than in those in the CTR group. A significantly greater abundance of Actinobacteria was observed in CTR chickens than in SD and LD chickens (p<0:01). The abundance of Deferribacteres was significantly higher in LD chickens than in SD chickens (p<0:01). Fusobacteria and Proteobacteria were more abundant in SD chickens than in CTR and LD chickens. The predicted functional properties indicate that cellular processes may be influenced by photoperiod. Conversely, carbohydrate metabolism was enhanced in CTR chickens as compared to that in SD and LD chickens. The current results indicate that different photoperiod regimes may influence the abundance of specific bacterial populations and then contribute to differences in the functional properties of gut microbiota of broiler roosters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Climatic conditions significantly impact the life stages and distribution patterns of ticks and tickborne diseases. South Africa's central plateau and various biomes offer a distinct landscape for studying the geography's effects. The study estimated tick species prevalence and the influential factors on their survival. Materials and Methods: Ticks were gathered from communal cattle in South African provinces including Limpopo (LP), Gauteng (GP), Mpumalanga (MP), KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the Eastern Cape (EC), and the Free State (FS), from September 2020 to November 2022. Using data from South African weathercasts, the annual climate was assessed. Results: A total of 3,409 ticks were collected, with the highest infestation observed in KZN (45%), followed by LP (26%), EC (19%), GP (5%), MP (2%), and the FS (2%). The most prevalent tick species were Amblyomma hebraeum (55.1%), Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi (13.9%) and Rhipicephalus (Boophilus), and decoloratus (11.9%). Other species included R. (Boophilus) microplus (10.85%), Hyalomma marginatum (4.8%), Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (1.4%), Harpalus rufipes (0.8%), Rhipicephalus exophthalmos (0.2%), Rhipicephalus glabroscutatus (0.2%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.2%), Haemaphysalis silacea (0.5%), Ixodes pilosus (0.1%), and Rhipicephalus simus (0.1%). The infestations were most prevalent on farms in Pongola and KZN. The temperature fluctuated between 12°C and 35°C during data gathering, while humidity varied between 40% and 65%. Conclusion: This study showed that ticks survive optimally in warm temperatures and high humidity conditions. Livestock farms with high tick infestations may be associated with several risk factors. These practices could involve suboptimal grazing, insufficient acaricidal treatment, and detrimental effects resulting from traditional animal husbandry. Future research is needed to longitudinally evaluate the effects of climate change on tick populations, pathogen transmission, hosts, habitats, and human behavior, influencing potential exposure risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]